


Loving Dwarves (And Dwarflings)

by Lumelle



Series: Garden in the Mountain [4]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Lunar Eclipse, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-02
Updated: 2015-10-02
Packaged: 2018-04-24 10:07:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4915381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lumelle/pseuds/Lumelle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is a blood moon over Dale, and Tauriel is thinking. Of course, Kíli will keep her company while everyone else gathers at the gates, even if he's talking to her stomach more than her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Loving Dwarves (And Dwarflings)

**Author's Note:**

> Written in celebration of the blood moon last weekend. Also because these two deserve all the fluff. <3
> 
> Set in the indeterminate future. Not related to [Adventures in Prince-Sitting](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4828373), though I did recycle the name of Ori and Fíli's kid from there.

There was a blood moon over Dale.

Tauriel looked out into the night, the sky darker than she could recall ever seeing it before. Stars seemed brighter than usual, yet also more distant, their light cold next to the red gloom of the moon hanging heavy over the sleeping city. Some of the men were still awake, she could see flitting shadows passing across the occasional light, but for the most part night had claimed them despite the grand sight above. The dwarves seemed to have more interest for it, gathered in some small number down before the gates; there was always someone awake in the mountain, so the word would have spread fast. If she tried she might catch some few words from down below, but she refrained. It was better to enjoy the relative silence of nothing but a whisper of wind up along the side of the mountain.

She remembered the first time Kíli had told her about the blood moon, remembered the look on his face, the tone in his voice as he spoke of such a wonder. For a moment then she would have gone with him if he'd asked, would have followed him wherever he led her to see the sights he spoke of outside her forest. She would have done it now, still, would have gone wherever he wanted her if that meant having him by her side a moment longer.

"So here you are." The voice didn't startle her, not quite; she'd heard the footsteps a moment before, the door opening behind her. The footsteps came closer, now, walking out into the alcove. "I was starting to fear I wouldn't find you at all before it was all over."

"I thought I told the others where I would be." At least she had been under the impression they had been informed.

"They did know you'd gone somewhere up to see it from the mountainside, but nobody could seem to agree on where that might be. Luckily Gimli mentioned this place, or I might have run off to see if you'd climbed up the secret stairs or something."

"Not as secret as you think, my love. And I wouldn't do that, anyway. I know how you get when I go out in the mountains on my own." Which could have been annoying, really, or even oppressive, but only came across as endearing as Kíli spoke of his worries. Going out on her own for more than a brief stroll would have been a bad idea anyway; though most beasts and goblins had been cleared out from the immediate vicinity of Erebor, one never knew what might hide in a hidden cave somewhere.

"If you were so aware of my concerns, you might have at least taken your cloak with you." The weight of fabric settled on her shoulders as Kíli reached up to pin her heavy winter cloak around her. She had to admit it was pleasant in the cold winter breeze.

"Peace, my dwarf. You know I won't take a chill so easily."

"Oh, I know how you elves are, all untouched by the world. Maybe it's not you I'm worried about." Kíli circled to her front, frowning up at her even as his hands slid to her waist. "We dwarves may be tough, but we're not invulnerable, particularly not when we're little. And we really don't get much littler than this."

"I know that, but even so, I ask you to calm, dear husband." She leaned down to press a kiss to his forehead. "You know I would not do anything that might put the babe in harm's way."

"I never said that!" Kíli seemed startled at the mere suggestion. "It's just, you might not remember to consider all such things, since they're not so important for elves."

"This baby is not only an elf, though." She grasped one of his hands at her side and slid it over to her rounded stomach. "I'm sure I'm keeping her warm enough. Even so, thank you for bringing me the cloak."

"Always." He grinned. "So you still think it's a her?"

"I just have a feeling, that's all." Tauriel couldn't help but chuckle. "Am I the only reason you came outside tonight?"

"The best reason, certainly." Kíli smiled widely at her, then finally turned to look over to the moon. "Wow. It's even more impressive than I remembered."

"It really is magnificent." She tugged at him a little, now, sitting down on the cold stone and drawing him along. "Are the others all down at the gates?"

"Most of them are." He settled at her side, though she couldn't help but notice him eyeing the distance between them and the edge of the small alcove with some distrust. "Balin promised to keep an ear out for the little ones while they sleep, said he's too old to stand out in the cold. And I think Legolas and Gimli sneaked off somewhere they claim will have an even better view."

"Well, if there is such a place, they would know. Gimli seems rather determined to find all the best places in the mountain to give Legolas beautiful views."

"Aye, I've noticed." Kíli gave her a small grin. "Me, I'm lucky enough I know perfectly well where to see the prettiest thing."

"Hush, you." She reached an arm around him, tugging him closer. He fell easily against her shoulder, one of his hands settling on the bump of her stomach. It was warm, even through the gloves he wore.

"I wish you could see this, little one," Kíli murmured. "Never seen the moon quite so big, or the stars so bright. They shine almost as prettily as your mother's eyes."

"Flatterer." Her hand wandered into his hair, running through dark locks, pausing briefly to caress a smooth-shaved cheek. He was such a strange dwarf, this one, yet he was just right for her. "You're not going to compare the moon to my hair?"

"Of course not. The moon clearly pales next to you." Kíli hummed, sliding his hand along Tauriel's stomach. "I'd love for you to have red hair, little one, just like your mother. Though we'll love you just as much if your hair is black like mine, or golden like Fíli's, or any other shade under the sun."

"Of course we will." Tauriel cradled the other side of her stomach with her free hand. The swell of the babe was growing more obvious by the day now, long past something she might hide with the right clothes and slight changes in posture, and it seemed to fascinate Kíli without end. Not that she could fault him, really, or even complain. It was rather sweet, the way he kept talking to their babe at every opportunity.

"Everyone's going to love you, that's for sure. You're going to have so many uncles and aunties, and a grandmother too, and cousins! Little cousins of every kind." Kíli was a warm presence at her side as they sat under the dark sky and the blood moon, his voice a comforting stream of sound by her side. "There's Tammi, she's our little acorn princess who's half hobbit, and wee Frodo who's all hobbit and all adorable, and then Kiri who's all dwarf and the youngest, except for you of course. You're going to be the youngest one, at least until there's another, but even then I'm sure you're going to be the most adorable. Who knows anyway, maybe Dwalin and Nori will…"

Tauriel lost the individual words, knowing they were directed at the child more than at her anyway, and instead enjoyed the warmth and comfort of her husband by her side. They sat together until the red shadow upon the moon started to make way for almost blinding whiteness. A breeze was picking up, snaking its way even into the little mountainside alcove, and she shivered.

Kíli, of course, noticed that immediately, sitting up straight. "Tauriel, love? Are you cold? Come, let's get you inside, it's really getting chilly here. We'll get a nice fire going, and find you something warm to drink. You should have told me you were cold, I'd have given you my own cloak, or we could have gone inside sooner or…"

Again Tauriel let the words wash over her, knowing their exact form was not as important as the meaning behind them. Of course she knew Kíli worried, knew how afraid he was that something might go wrong, that they might lose this babe they had hardly even dared hope for. She reassured him where she could, of course, for all that she could offer no definite answers. No, they did not know of another time an elf had born the child of a dwarf, or the other way around, but that did not mean it could not happen. As far as any healer could say, both Tauriel and the child were happy and healthy, and she suspected Kíli's constant care and concern played a not inconsiderable role in keeping them that way.

He led her back inside the mountain, toward warm fires and friendly faces, and Tauriel didn't think twice about walking away from the starlit night. She could see the stars any night she wished, and she knew he would gladly see them with her, though she could not imagine they could ever be as bright as they were in the light of the blood moon.

The child within her moved, a delicate little flutter that none but her could feel, and Tauriel smiled.

Yes, she was quite certain she could love this strange young dwarven prince.


End file.
